


Without Grace and Ungently

by gentlemanscanal



Category: IT (2017), IT (Movies - Muschietti), IT - Stephen King
Genre: Banter, Canon Compliant, Crushes, Gay Richie Tozier, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, M/M, Pining, Richie Tozier Loves Eddie Kaspbrak, Richie Tozier is Whipped, richie has a big fat gay crush
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-08
Updated: 2019-10-08
Packaged: 2020-11-27 08:29:57
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 896
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20945360
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gentlemanscanal/pseuds/gentlemanscanal
Summary: "I hold my breath to touch the bottom ofThe lake, I swear I'd stay, I'd stayI'd stay forever if you asked me to"Richie and Eddie go swimming. Richie's got it bad.





	Without Grace and Ungently

**Author's Note:**

> Heavily inspired by "Cannonball" by Dijon
> 
> Something else I wrote a while ago and just figured I'd drop here. Enjoy?

Eddie’s knees had slowly turned pink from the friction of the overgrown greenery against his skin. His mother would fuss over him later but for now, with the warmth of the sun on his skin, he couldn’t care less. 

Trailing behind him, the tall grass brushed against Richie’s calves, although he didn’t notice. All Richie could concentrate on was the way the sun hit Eddie’s hair. He’d been letting it grow, and as the sunlight reflected off the soft curls just barely beginning at the shell of Eddie’s ears, turning it a shimmering golden brown, Richie’s breath caught. Eddie turned at that second and terror coursed through Richie’s veins.  _ He’d been caught. This was it, the end of their friendship. When Eddie found out how he felt, he’d never want to speak to him again.  _ But Eddie only smiled at him.

“Race you the rest of the way,” Richie yelled, already taking off. Maybe he just needed to run his adrenaline off.

“I have asthma, you fucking dick!” He heard Eddie yell behind him. 

When Eddie finally made it to the edge of the quarry, Richie had already taken his shirt off and was sprawled across the rock he’d laid his towel on. He only opened his eyes and acknowledged Eddie when the boy stood directly over him, casting a shadow. 

“Yo, what gives, Spaghetti Man? I’m tryna get my tan on,” Richie complained. 

“I would bet a ticket at The Aladdin that you’re not wearing any sunscreen so good luck not burning, Cracker,” Eddie paused, staring down at the taller boy for once, “It’s hot, get in with me.” 

Richie hummed in contemplation while stretching his limbs, eyes closed once again, “You go, I’ll watch… join you later.” He folded his arms behind his head. 

Eddie groaned, “Your loss, then.”

“You in those tight little shorts? You bet it is,” Richie replied without looking up. Eddie flipped him off before diving into the water.

After about fifteen minutes, Richie braved a glance up. The sunlight glittered upon the water, haloing Eddie as he floated on his back with his eyes closed. A picture of peace, Richie wished with everything in him that he could freeze this moment in time and stay here, safe from overbearing mothers, from Henry and his goons, from the hatred Richie knew he’d face if his secret got out. For now, he’d just do his best to memorize the way the water pooled in the concave of Eddie’s stomach, how the luminescent water droplets magnified the freckles on his cheeks, his pale thighs practically glowing in the direct sunlight as water ran off them. 

Richie diverted his glance so quickly when Eddie opened his eyes and returned to treading water he thought he’d given himself whiplash. Richie returned to his faux display of lounging, hoping he hadn’t been caught. Richie heard Eddie exit the water and begin climbing up the embankment. Once Eddie reached their little setup and began toweling off, he spoke, 

“The water feels great, you should get in.”

“You sound like Wentworth,” Richie replied, laughing.

In lieu of a response, Eddie bent down and shook his hair out like a dog, sprinkling water droplets all over Richie. Richie only laughed harder and smiled up at him, 

“You’re right, it does feel great.” 

An hour later, the two boys were laying side by side on their respective towels. Eddie had flipped onto his back, fussing about an even tan and his “blindingly pale” thighs. Richie slowly pushed himself up on his elbows and turned his head towards his friend, prepared to offer to grab him a water bottle from the bag Eddie had, thankfully, insisted on packing (despite Richie’s teasing), when he noticed the smaller boy was asleep. Smiling to himself, he settled into a sitting position, hands resting on his knees, not taking his eyes off Eddie, the water forgotten. He was so close, close enough to trace across Eddie’s perfect shoulders and down his spine. 

Suddenly, Richie was thankful the two were alone, sprawled out on the wet grass, for it would be painfully obvious to any onlookers how badly he wanted Eddie. But they’re alone now, and Richie could allow himself to indulge in his fantasy: holding Eddie’s small frame tight in his arms, without grace and ungently. What he wouldn’t give to be close to him. What he wouldn’t give to be able to tell Eddie how he felt. 

Richie jumped up quickly.  _ It’s stupid to even entertain this shit _ , he thought. Nudging Eddie with his foot, he made an attempt to wake him up. When Eddie turned to him, squinting against the sun, Richie said, 

“It’s hot, get in with me.” 

The two swam around each other, splashing and laughing until it hurt. At one point, Richie posed the question, 

“Do you dare me to try to touch the bottom?”

“Are you fucking kidding me? No way, you don’t know how deep it is or what could be down there. I mean--” Eddie’s rambling was cut off by Richie submerging himself under the water with a devilish grin. As he began swimming to the bottom of the quarry, he could hear Eddie yelling his name in exasperation. Richie would never admit it, but it was music to his ears. It occurred to him then that, if Eddie asked, he’d stay here with him forever.

  
  



End file.
